Things got heated this week when Rep. Maxine Waters, a California Democrat, suggested First Lady Melania Trump’s immigration status might need a closer look—hinting she could be deported. The comments, made during a March 23, 2025, rally in Los Angeles against Trump’s policies, set off a firestorm, with Elon Musk stepping in to defend Melania and take a swing at Waters.
Waters’ Comments Spark Controversy
Waters was at an anti-Trump administration protest, railing against plans to end birthright citizenship—a move President Donald Trump pushed with an executive order on his first day back in office. “If he wants to start looking so closely to find those who were born here and their parents were undocumented, maybe he ought to first look at Melania,” Waters said, her voice sharp with defiance. “We don’t know whether or not her parents were documented. And maybe we better just take a look.” The crowd cheered, but the jab hit a nerve far beyond the rally.
Melania’s Immigration Background
Melania, born in Slovenia in 1970, came to the U.S. in 1996 on a visitor visa, later snagging an “Einstein Visa” (EB-1) for her modeling career—a rare green card for “extraordinary ability.” She became a citizen in 2006, a year after marrying Trump, and sponsored her parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, who got their citizenship in 2018. Waters’ dig seemed to question that timeline, though there’s no evidence Melania’s status was ever shaky—her parents came legally after she was already a citizen.
Elon Musk Defends Melania and Attacks Waters
Enter Elon Musk, Trump’s tech-billionaire buddy and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). On March 26, Musk fired back on X, posting a 14-word zinger: “At some point, the many crimes of Maxine Waters will catch up to her.” It was a cryptic but pointed threat, tied to a viral clip of Waters’ speech shared by Fox News’ Sean Hannity and others. Musk didn’t elaborate, and Waters has no criminal record, but the message was clear—he wasn’t letting the attack on Melania slide.
Backlash and Reactions
The backlash was instant. Trump allies like Hannity blasted Waters, with headlines screaming “Mad Maxine” and “unhinged rant.” Posts on X lit up, some calling Waters’ comments hypocritical given Trump’s mass deportation push, others mocking Musk’s defense of an immigrant First Lady while he backs tough border policies. “Elon’s out here caping for Melania—ironic much?” one user quipped. Another praised him: “Musk standing up for what’s right!”
Previous Rumors and the Immigration Debate
This isn’t Melania’s first citizenship dust-up—rumors swirled in 2016 about her early work permits—but it’s Musk’s loudest jump into the fray. With Trump vowing to deport millions and Musk cheerleading the plan, Waters’ jab flipped the script, putting their own immigrant ties under the spotlight. For now, Melania’s safe—deporting the First Lady isn’t on the table—but the clash shows how raw the immigration fight’s getting, even at the top.